Lift rod connection



Jan. 12, 1937. r G. P. GAVIN 2,067,759

LIFT ROD CONNECTION Fi led Aug. 29, 1935 0000M P. 04 VIN INVENTORATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1937 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in lift rod connections of a typesuitable for use in connection with ball type flush valves, and theobjects of my invention are, first, to provide a connection between alift rod and the actuating means therefor which will eliminate thenecessity for a toggle joint and will allow the actuating means to exerta straight longitudinal pull upon the lift rod; second, to reduce thespace or head room required for the connection to a minimum; and third,to provide an efficient and economical connection.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the connection, and Figure2,

a side view thereof.

Similar numerals refer to similar throughout the several views.

In the practice of the invention the flush tank I is provided with anaperture 2. A sleeve 3 extends through the aperture 2 and is provided atone extremity with the escutcheon 4, formed integrally with or otherwiseconnected to the sleeve 3, adapted to overlie the exterior of the tank I5 adjacent the aperture 2. The sleeve 3 is threaded at 5 to receive thenut 6.

A trip handle I is positioned on the exterior of the tank I and isprovided with the shaft 8 which extends through the sleeve 3 and isattached at its inner extremity to the trip lever 9.

The trip lever 9 is enclosed, except on the uppermost side, by thehousing II] which is held in engagement with the tank I by the nut 6, agasket II being interposed to prevent leakage.

The top of the housing I0 is positioned above the overflow or normalwater level of the tank so that the water from the tank does not enterthe interior of the housing whereby leakage through the sleeve 3 andaround the shaft 8 is avoided.

The housing I0 is provided with the yoke I2 to which the trip arm I 3 ispivotally attached by the pin I4. A link I5 connects the trip lever 9and the trip arm 13. Thus, when the trip handle 7 is actuated, the shaft8 is rotated and the trip 45 lever 9 carried downward, acting throughthe link I5 to depress the extremity of the trip arm I3 adjacent thehousing I0 and elevate the opposite extremity thereof, thus operatingthrough 50 the lift rod I6 to raise the flush ball I! from its seat I8,thus permitting the discharge of the contents of the tank. The flushball I! is returned to its seat by the action of gravity as soon as thedischarge from the tank is completed. The lift rod I6 is preferablyslidably mounted in parts a guide I9 attached to some fixed portion ofthe tank such as an overflow tube.

The structure thus far described is a conventional one, and the noveltyresides in the manner of connecting the trip arm and the lift rod. Sucha connection is ordinarily made by means of a toggle joint orconnection. Such a type of connection has been heretofore considerednecessary due to the fact that the lifting force of the trip arm I3 isapplied, not in a straight line but in 10 an arc. Such connections are,however, apt to stick and bind, at the connection itself and also applythe force at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the lift rod ratherthan in a straight line along such axis, thus causing a tendency of 5the lift rod to stick or bind in its guide.

Due to the play required in such a connection considerable room or headspace is required above the connection, thus rendering the deviceunadaptable to low tanks. 20

Furthermore, the tendency to stick and bind aforementioned isaccentuated when the construction is short, such as is necessary in lowtanks.

To obviate these difiiculties I provide the trip 25 arm I3 with a slot20, extending transversely of the lift rod I6, of a width sufficient toallow the lift rod I6 to pass therethrough as shown.

The trip arm I3 is ordinarily formed from a relatively thin strip ofmetal positioned with its longest dimension in the same vertical planeas the longitudinal axis of the lift rod I6. In order to adapt thisstyle of trip arm to the invention, the trip arm is given a half turn ortwist at 2| so that the extremity 22 of the trip arm adjacent 35 thelift rod has its longest dimension in a horizontal plane transverse tothe longitudinal axis of said lift rod.

The lift rod I6 is provided with a head 23 of larger diameter than thewidth of the slot 20. The head 23 is preferably provided with a beveledor frusto-conical bottom portion 24.

The head 23 may have threaded attachment to the lift rod I6 or may beformed integral therewith. In the latter instance the lift rod will havethreaded connection to the flush ball I1.

When the lift rod I3 is raised by actuation of the trip handle I thelift rod l6 passes through the slot 20 until the head 23 engages thetrip arm I3 causing the flush ball I! to be raised from its seat. Theconical portion 24 allows the head 23 to slide freely in the slot 20,hence the lifting force is applied to the lift rod I6 in a straightline, the head 23 shifting its position in the slot 20 as the trip armI3 moves through "ating said trip arm to raise said lift rod and saidits are; thus the lift rod is not forced laterally into contact with theguide l9 increasing the tendency to stick and bind and also increasingthe wear thereon. The lift rod 16 and flush ball I! are free to rotateand do rotate somewhat under the influence of the water discharge, etc.,hence wear takes place evenly around their circumferences rather than atany fixed point.

The connection is economical to manufacture and requires but little headspace, thus adapting it for use with low tanks.

It will be understood that instead of a slot in the trip arm an apertureof greater diameter than the lift rod may be provided, it beingessential only that the dimension of the aperture along the longitudinaldirection of the trip arm or transverse to the lift rod be of greaterwidth than the diameter of the lift rod.

While, in order to demonstrate the utility thereof, the invention hasbeen described in language more or less specific as to certainstructural features, it is to be understood that the means andconstruction herein described comprise but one mode of putting theinvention into effect, and the invention is, therefore, claimed broadlyin any of its possible forms or modifications within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A flush valve comprising a flush ball, a lift rod'attached thereto, atrip arm, means for actuating said trip arm to raise said lift rod andsaid flush ball, characterized by a slot in said trip arm extendingtransversely of said lift rod, the lift rod extending through said slot,and a head on said lift rod of larger diameter than the width of saidslot, said head being provided with a beveled portion adapted to allowsaid head to 'slide freely in said slot.

2. A flush valve comprising a flush ball, a lift rod attached thereto, atrip arm, means for actufiush ball, characterized by a slot in said triparm, the lift rod extending through said slot and a head on said liftrod of larger diameter than the width of said slot.

3. A flush valve comprising a flush ball, a lift rod attached thereto, atrip arm extending transversely of said lift rod, means for actuatingsaid trip arm to raise said lift rod and said flush ball, a slot in saidtrip arm adapted to allow passage of said lift rod therethrough, saidlift rod being freely slidable in said slot, and a head on said lift rodof larger diameter than the width of said slot.

4. A flush valve comprising a flush ball, a lift rod attached thereto, atrip arm extending transversely of said lift rod, means for actuatingsaid trip arm to raise said lift rod and said flush ball, a slot in saidtrip arm adapted to allow passage of said lift rod therethrough, saidlift rod being freely slidable in said slot, and a head on said lift rodof larger diameter than the width of said slot, said head having abeveled bottom portion adapted to allow said head to slide freely insaid slot.

5 A flush valve comprising a lift rod, a trip arm formed from arelatively thin strip of metal positioned with its longest dimension inapproximately the same vertical plane as the longitudinal axis of thelift rod, said trip arm being given a half twist whereby one extremitythereof has its longest dimension in a horizontal plane transverse tosaid lift rod, a slot in said extremity adapted to allow passage of saidlift rod therethrough, said lift rod being freely slidable in said slotand a head on said lift rod of larger diameter than the width of saidslot.

6. A flush valve comprising a lift rod, a trip arm positionedsubstantially transverse to said lift rod, said trip arm being providedwith an aperture, the dimension of said aperture along the longitudinaldirection of said trip arm being substantially greater than the diameterof said lift rod, said lift rod passing through said aperture, a head onsaid lift rod of such diameter as not topass through said aperture, andmeans for actuating said trip arm to raise said lift rod.

7. A flush valve comprising a lift rod, a trip arm pivotally mounted andpositioned substantially transverse to said lift rod, said trip armbeing provided with an aperture, the dimension of said aperture alongthe longitudinal direction of said trip arm being substantially greaterthan the diameter of said lift rod, said lift rod passing through saidaperture and being freely slidable therein, a head on said lift rod ofsuch diameter as not to pass through said aperture, and means foractuating said trip arm to raise said lift rod. GORDON P. GAVIN.

